Improvement in portfolio-holders



1. B. AIKEN. Portfolio-Holders.

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iJNI'rED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

J ONAS-B. AIKEN, OF FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN-PORTFOLIO-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,884, dated September 16, 1873; application iiled May 7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, JONAS B. AIKEN, of

Franklin, in the county of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portfolio- Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of" this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section, representing the holder open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation when closed; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

This invention relates to portfolio-holders which are adapted to be fastened conveniently against the wall of a room, and about the base or wash-board, to a partition, or other suitable support. It consists in the mode of constructing two frames of unequal lengths, joined together transversely by a bar or rest, which supports the portfolio, so that the lat.- ter may be held closely locked and protected against unnecessary handling, while it may also be held at an angle convenient for inspecting drawings, music, or pictures without removing them from the portfolio. It also consists in providing the portfolio support or rest with end guards which prevent withdrawal of the portfolio, and which can be made adjustable to portfolios of different lengths.

In the drawing, A represents the framework to which the portfolio-holder is attached, and consists of two upright parallel standards, b b', joined firmly together by two cross-bars, a a. The foot-piece E is fastened securely to the lower extremities of the upright standards, at its back edge, by screws or other convenient device, and the whole placed, preferably, just above the base or wash-board of a room, and secured to the wall by screws passing through the cross-bars and through the wall B, and into the stud C behind the wall, or by any other convenient method, either to a partition or other suitable support. H H are two upright parallel strips, hinged at their lower extremities h h to the outer edge of the foot-board E. Their upper extremities are firmly secured by the cross-piece I. D is a concaved support or rest for the portfolio, recessed on the front edge to receive the upright strips H H, and secured to them by screws or other suitable means and at a distance of the width of the portfolio. F F are upright parallel strips of less length than those just described as the distance is from the upper edge of the rest or support D and the upper surface of the foot-piece E. The lower extremities i d of these strips are hinged to the back edge of the rest D, and are held firmly together at their upper extremities by the cross-bar G, which coincides on its upper surface and outer edge with the cross-bar I when the holder is closed. When these bars are in contact, and held by lock, hasp, or catch, the portfolio is secure against dust, injury, or molestation. On the upper surface of the cross-bar G are fastened two plates, c c', and projecting sufciently over the back edge of the cross-bar to enable the rods el d to pass freely down through holes perforated near the edges of these plates and the back of the cross-bar. The rods d d are fastened securely at their upper ends to straps f f', which in their turn are made secure to the upper end of the standards b b by screws or other suitable device. The lower ends of these rods pass through perforated angular plates e e', which are also secured to the standards in like manner tothose just described. The rods d d are parallel to the standards, and of a sufficient distance therefrom to allow the plates c c and the cross-bar G to slide freely up and down. Resting on the upper surfaces of the plates e e', and surrounding the rods, are elastic cushions g/ g', on which the plates c c rest when the portfolio-holder is thrown open. They are for the purpose of relieving the jar from the frame, and thereby preventing injury when the portfolio-holder is carelessly or suddenly thrown open. For a more clear and definite description of this part of the portfolio-holder an enlarged sectional piece is shown, like letters referring to like parts. The elastic cushion may be removed or replaced at pleasure by removing the screws from the straps j" f and withdrawing the rods d d from the angular plates e e. Removing these rods also facilitates the removal of the portfolio-holder from the frame-work A, when desired, and can be accomplished by removing the hinges which secure the lower extrem- 2 Massa ities of the upright pieces H H, having thc frame-work attached to the wall.

When the portfolio holder is closed it will remain so without any device other than gravitation, as the support D is fastened to the inner side of the strips H H, and, the point of gravitation being between the lower eXtremity of these upright strips and the framework, it follows that the greater the weight of the portfolio and its contents the greater will be the tendency for the portfolio-holder to remain closed. When opened, the center of gravitation is carried outward beyond the lower extremities of the upright strips H H, and the tendency is to remain open.

The bar or rod D which supports the portfolio may be level or Hat on its upper surface, and operate successfully; but I deem the device more complete by making its upper surface concave, thereby lessening the friction on the back of the portfolio when the holder is opened or closed.

Stops or guards, when advisable, may also be secured to the inner surface of the upright pieces F F or H H below the cross-bar I and Gr, and made to project over the upper edge of the portfolio, adj usted and secured by screws or other device, so as to -hold al portfolio of any width, and prevent its being removed when the portfolio-holder is closed and locked.

J J are guards, placed near the edges of support, for the purpose of preventing the portfolio from being drawn out through the ends. These are made adjustable, so that portfolios varying in length may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The frame-work A, combined with the strips H H hinged to the foot-piece E, and the strips F F hinged to the rest D, and sliding at the upper ends on the rolls d d fixed to the frame-work, as and for thepu rpose described.

2. The guards J J, applied to the ends of the portfolio holder, rest, or support, for the purpose specified.

JONAS Bl AIKEN.

Witnesses:

'.l. D. DURBIN OURAND, SoLoN O. KEMON. 

